Recovery After Eye Surgery

Laser Eye Surgery Aftercare

Below are guidelines for your recovery following laser eye surgery.

General Aftercare

You will need someone to drive you home from your procedure appointment. We recommend you rest for the rest of the day.

Your vision may be blurry and you may experience discomfort, especially in the week following your eye surgery. All PRK laser eye surgery patients will be given antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drops to assist with the healing process.

You will need someone to drive you home from your procedure appointment. We recommend you rest for the rest of the day.

PRK Laser Eye Surgery Aftercare

Squint Surgery Aftercare

Cataract Surgery Aftercare

PRK Laser Eye Surgery Aftercare

There are no flap complications
There is a low chance of infection
There is a low chance of dry eye
The visual results are just as good, if not better than with other laser eye vision correction methods e.g. LASIK

PRK Expected Recovery

PRK laser eye surgery is a very safe procedure, but like all surgical or medical procedures, there is always a risk of complication. All known complications will be discussed at your consultation.

On the day of your surgery, we ask you to bring your darkest sunglasses with you as you will have light sensitivity. We ask you to wear these sunglasses on the drive home with your driver. You will need to wear these in any well-lit areas, even at home. We highly encourage you to relax at home after your surgery for the remainder of the day.

At the end of your treatment, we will apply a bandage contact lens on the cornea to protect the eye. After your laser eye treatment, it is common that you may experience some discomfort, light sensitivity, watery eyes and/or red eyes. We will provide the appropriate pain medication to minimise discomfort.

Your vision may be blurred for a few days, but as the surface heals, it will become clearer. Please do not rub your eyes and refrain from swimming in a pool or at the beach. You will need to ensure water does not wash through your eyes when in the shower.

On the day of your surgery, you will be given two separate eye drops. One anti-inflammatory eye drop and one antibiotic eye drop. The day following your surgery, you will be putting one drop of the anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drop into each eye, three times a day. You can put these drops in together, as long as you drop them into your eye five minutes apart.

You will have a follow-up appointment five days after your surgery at the Mandurah Eye Centre, where the surgeon will remove the bandage contact lens and examine your eyes. Optilase always provides patients with direct contact with the surgeon in case you have any questions.

When can I…

Wear makeup? 1 week after the procedure.
Have a shower? Same day but avoid getting water or soap in your eyes.
Wash my face? Same day but avoid the eye area.
Go back to work? To be discussed with your surgeon.
Go swimming? 1 week after the procedure.
Exercise? 1 week after the procedure for strenuous exercise, but no contact sports for 2 weeks. Perspiration that may get in contact with the eye will sting.
Drive? Depending on your healing, this will be discussed with your surgeon.

Paediatric & Squint Surgery Aftercare

Squint surgery is nearly always a day-case procedure, so you should be in and out of the clinic on the same day.

There are two kinds of squint operations. Adjustable and non-adjustable.

In adjustable surgery, which can be performed in older children and adults, the stitches can be adjusted shortly after the surgery, when the patient is awake. This allows the surgeon to fine-tune eye alignment.

Squint surgery is generally very safe the main problems arise with under or overcorrection which may occur in up to 10% of children these can usually be addressed with further surgery.

Squint Surgery Expected Recovery

On the day of surgery, some mild pain relief may be needed. Usually, by day 2, children, in particular, are back to their normal activities with minimal complaints.

Eye drops will usually need to be instilled twice a day for 10 days redness over the site of operation will gradually fade away over a 2 or 3-month period. It can take several weeks to fully recover from corrective squint surgery.

During this time, the eye may feel painful or itchy for a short time and you may have temporary double vision. Always contact your surgeon if you have any concerns.

Cataract Surgery Aftercare

Following cataract surgery, you would expect to go home one hour after. The whole procedure and aftermath are usually pain-free. Any discomfort will settle with Panadol or Neurofen. You will have a patch on the operated eye for the first night only.

Patients are sent home with a steroid eye drop to start using the following morning. The patch will be removed and you commence instilling the drops on the following morning, which will continue for 2 to 3 weeks.

Eyesight may be blurred or cloudy in the morning, but clears usually within 1-2 days.

A post-op appointment is scheduled within 3 days of the surgery. It’s fine to watch TV and take moderate exercise the day following surgery if you wish.

Recovery After Cataract Surgery

Like all surgery, there are risks. These are all rare but will be explained to you.

Cataract surgery is the most common procedure done in Australia and has an excellent record for both safety and results.

All known complications will be discussed at your consultation. Please contact Optilase on +61 416 593 166 or info@optilase.com.au if you have any concerns about your recovery.

Book Your Ophthalmologist Appointment

Optilase offers all prospective laser eye surgery patients a free consultation appointment. Following your consultation, the team will discuss with you the best treatment options.